HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-11-15 Board of Selectmen Minutes Minutes of the Board of Selectmen Meeting
November 15, 1988
The meeting convened at 7 : 35 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting
Room, 6 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts . Present were
Chairman Eugene R. Nigro, Vice-Chairman Russell Graham, Secretary
Mollie Ziegler, Selectmen Paul Landers, Selectmen John Russell
and Town Manager Peter I. Hechenbleikner. Also present were Jim
& Betty Guptill, Mary & James Watts, John Hagar, Francis X.
Fedele, John Filbin, Bill Tarmay, James McNulty, Robert Graham
Jr. , Richard Graham, Angelo Ciano, Joe Ciccariello, Charles
Catalfano, Charles Gray, Leonard Polonski, Raymond Doyon, Janice
M. Jones, Charles Herrick, Bernick Herrick, Paul & Valarie
Pavalidis, James Joly, Robert Ferrari, Kent George, Richard P.
Conboy, Lawrence A. Cresta, Victor Mitchell, Cathy Quimby, Ralph
Blunt, Walter A. Arsenault, Joe Calareso, Willard F. Perkins, Dom
Patalano, Karen Guman, Manual Guman, Gary Bugbee, Newell S .
Bugbee, Kent George, Kieran Meagher, Marlene Wolfe, Richard
O'Leary, Gretchen Latowsky, Marilyn Lambert, Pat Keane, Grant
Keane, George Hines, and Matt Hines and Chief Marchand.
Minutes
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the Board approved the
November 1, 1988 minutes by vote of 3-0-1.
Liaison Reports
Paul Landers informed the Board that Town Meeting approved the
new three bay Fire Station at a cost of 2 .5 million.
Russell Graham attended a meeting of the Solid Waste Committee.
Russ will also be attending a meeting of the Depot Task Force
Committee.
Mollie Ziegler attended a meeting of the Municipal Space Com-
mittee and the Veteran's Day Ceremonies on the Common.
Jack Russell will be attending a meeting of the Community Plan-
ning & Development Commission.
Eugene Nigro attended a meeting of the Middlesex County Advisory
Board and Veteran's Day on the Common.
Public Comment
Brad Latham and 24 Reading businessmen were present to express
their concerns of a proposed package of new zoning by-law
proposals "anti-business, " and warned that if Town Meeting passes
that package "chaos" would result. Concerns centered around Ar-
ticles 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 41, 42 on the Fall Town Meeting
Warrant. Attorney Latham said that the warrant was not published
until after CPCD hearings on the articles , and thus business
property owners were not able to voice their opinions on time.
i
Selectmen's minutes - 11/15/88 - Page 2
On motion by Russell seconded by Ziegler the board approved the
Class II Motor Vehicle license for Fedele Auto Sales contingent
upon satisfactory repair agreements, 18 display parking spaces in
accordance with marked areas consistent with traffic concerns by
vote of 4-1-0.
Mr. Farese Everett Esquire and Mr. Mitchell met with the board
representing Sandra Reed Mitchell, of 494 Main Street. Mrs.
Mitchell has applied for a license to read fortune tarrot cards,
and the sale of crystals. Mrs. Quimby Chairman of the ZBA was
present to discuss the zoning issues in this matter. Mr. & Mrs.
Mitchell are using the first floor for residential use, and are
in violation and have been asked to vacate the property by the
ZBA. The Board deferred action until November 29th.
On motion by Landers seconded by Graham the Board appointed Ginny
Lane to the Council on Aging by vote of 5-0-0.
Depot
Beginning in January it may cost out-of towners $240 a year to
park in Reading and commute to Boston by rail. Chairman Bernice
Herrick outlined the pay-to-park proposal, with possibly no cost
to Reading residents. Out of town rail commuters would buy park-
ing stickers at $240 per year payable quarterly. There was con-
siderable discussion of the erection of no parking signs
(approximately 104) . Mr. Graham asked Chief Marchand if all
these restriction are going to be enforceable? The Chief
responded by saying if we have adequate personnel there will be
no problem enforcing. On motion by Graham seconded by Ziegler
the board voted 5-0-0 in support of the Depot Task Force proposal
as set forth November 10, 1988. On motion by Russell seconded
by Landers the board voted 5-0-0 to extend the viability of the
Task Force as long as Selectmen deemed necessary.
West Side Task Force
Members of the West Side Task Force were present to ask the Board
of Selectmen what the Selectmen have done in regard to the fol-
lowing matters: Kent George asked where the speed zone lights
were in the Barrows School area; when the West Street traffic
count data would be available; and why the Town failed to respond
to the Environmental Impact Report filed recently with the state
by Inwood developers. Chairman Nigro and Town Manager Peter
Hechenbleikner said school zone speed control lights should be in
place by the end of the year; traffic count data may be available
by week's end; and "we missed (responding) to the E. I.R. " Mr.
Nigro objected strongly to the contention that the Town is not
doing anything. The ongoing unrest is that the Town is selling
off town-owned land, and allowing traffic to be out of control.
Selectmen's minutes - 11/15/88 - Page 3
Warrant Articles - Special Town Meeting
On motion by Landers seconded by Nigro the Board voted 5-0-0 to
table Article 32.
Subsequent Town Meeting
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the board recommended
the following articles: #12 Funding former D.P.W.Cleanup; #15
Library Roof, #20 350th Anniversary; #21 Ticketing Bylaw; #32
Licensing Laundromat; #23 Fees-Clerks by vote of 5-0-0.
Article #24 Health Benefits - No action tabled
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the board recommended
Article 25 by vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the board recommended
Article 26 closing date of the warrant by vote of 5-0-0.
The Board stated that they have taken no position on Articles 27
and 28.
special Town Meeting
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the board recommended
Article 3 by vote of 5-0-0.
On motion Russell seconded by Graham the board recommended Ar-
ticle 4 in the amount of $2000 by vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Russell the board voted unanim-
ously to go into Executive Session at 11: 00 p.m. to discuss labor
negotiations and to come back into open session.
On motion by Ziegler seconded by Landers the Board voted 5-0-0 to
ratify the AFSCME contract, Council 93, Local 1703 .
Respectfully submitted: Secretary